Thursday, 31 December 2015

A quick in-front-of-the-TV make from me today - using Artisan papers from Graphic45 to decorate an 8x8 scrapbook from Hobbycraft. I just used lots and lots of layers and fussy cutting to build a 3D scene.

I thought the sentiment on this - 'If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door' was a suitable resolution for 2016.

Thursday, 24 December 2015

So delighted to have been asked back again to guest design for A Sprinkle of Imagination, this time as part of their 12 Designers of Christmas series - I am in fact last to go but it's well worth a look back through a month of fabby art from lots of talented peeps.

I decided to combine the stamps with the opportunity to get more familiar with my DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics. I've actually used these paints a LOT but not usually in a very 'painterly' way, more for adding colour to mixed media pieces. Here I've attempted a form of painting with them ('proper' painters look away now!!!) to create my evening scene.

1) I used two colours of blue for my background - Phthalo Blue and Cerulean Blue (always makes me think of The X-Files that colour!). Blob the paint randomly onto the gessoed canvas then mix with brush then use your fingers to smooth it out.

2) To create the moon, I added a tiny blob of Titanium White to the canvas and smoothed it into a circle shape working from the centre outwards so the white fades out. I added a touch of Hansa Yellow Light over the top of the white while it was still wet and blended it in with my fingers. The snowflakes are simply spots of Titanium White added randomly with the end of a paintbrush.

4) To create the snow add a thick layer of modelling paste textured using a palette knife. Add some Glamour Dust while the paste is still wet. When dry, lightly add washes of Cobolt Turquoise Hue and Silver Metallic paints, just adding the paint here and there. When dry, mute down with a little Transparent White.

5) You can just see I created a 'halo' effect on the snow - as snow reflects the light back up. This is just a wash of Transluscent White applied close to the top edge of the snow and blended upwards.

6) Finally I also painted my stamped images with paints - Hansa Yellow Light for the moon and Raw Sienna for the bunny. I also added Glamour Dust to the moon here and there to give it more shine!

I loved making my canvas - hope you like my moon gazing hare!

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year!

Sunday, 20 December 2015

Well it doesn't feel very wintry here in the UK, as we are having unseasonably warm weather! It should be bright and frosty when instead it's grey and rainy, but hey I can still create a card that captures the cool hues of winter!

This card is all about the background, which has quite a few layers.

1) The first layer is actually one of my 'leftovers' - a print created using the waste spray ink collected on a stencil. To this, I added Distress Inks in Iced Spruce, Tumbled Glass and Cracked Pistachio.

2) Next I added a layer of stamping - script (IndigoBlu) in Watering Can Archival and swirls (Tim Holtz) in Iced Spruce. In each case I stamped with the stamp in my hand rather than on a block, to get a partial/distressed impression.

3) I then spritzed the card here and there with Picket Fence Distress Stain and used the nozzle to flick larger drops of the ink over the background. Dry the background with a heat tool.

4) Finally, I applied white gesso (DecoArt) roughly around the edges with a stiff paintbrush and added some smears of Stickles in places.

I finished off the card with die cut stems (Memory Box) and a word (Tim Holtz for Sizzix).

Saturday, 12 December 2015

If you've seen the January issue of Craft Stamper magazine, you may have spotted an appearance from me, with a make for the challenge featuring Art Room chipboard kits from Tando Creative (p32). Sadly. the photo in the magazine didn't really show all the details of my piece and seeing as it took me nearly two days to make (!), Trish agreed that I could share it here on my blog too.

As a child, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was one of my favourite books - so much so that I read my copy so many times it literally fell apart. My Craft Stamper project is a homage to the magical place behind the wardrobe doors. complete with iconic lamppost and Mr Tumnus sheltering under his umbrella.

I added lots and lot of layers inside the Art Room using a variety of die cuts by Tim Holtz for Sizzix, all covered with 'snow' created with modelling paste and Glamour Dust glitter. The exterior and doors are simply stamped with a big Tim Holtz woodgrain background.

My burlap background is stencilled with Ground Espresso ink spray using a layering stencil. I wanted a snowy tag, so instead of inking my edges, I dry brushed them with white gesso (where on earth would I be without gesso???).

I cut lots of Holiday Greens foliage, inked it in Bundled Sage and Evergreen Bough and dry brushed it with - you guessed it! - gesso. I made three pinecones from kraft card using the Tattered Pinecone die, spritzed lightly with Ground Espresso ink and then added more gesso to the edges,

My berries are flat backed pearls with a couple of coats of acrylic paint and I finished my tag with a die cut word and bow in red, also dry brushed with gesso.

Tuesday, 8 December 2015

I am a bit obsessed at the moment with putting things on top of ATB boxes! So following on from my Stampotique witch and my dress form here's another thing on a box - this time a snowman for Christmas! Also a bit obsessed with modelling paste, which is making an appearance here again!

Friday, 4 December 2015

I've got a new stamp plate out today over at Rubber Dance - called The Artist. I personally love this plate - perfect for all arty types! I especially love the brushes, they are a nice BIG stamp.

My card is a really quick and simple one today, just to show you one idea with the set. I stamped the brushes in black then roughly masked them off, not masking the bristles part of the image. I then sprinkled three colours of Brushos lightly and sprayed with water. Once heat set that's the card more or less done - I just added the Make Art sentiment on foam pads to finish.

Sunday, 22 November 2015

Well I am FINALLY getting around to blogging my classes from the fab Ministry of Mixology retreat that took place earlier this month. As well as spending quality time with some of my very nearest and dearest friends (and finding some new ones), and drinking quite a lot of prosecco, I also got to enjoy two fantastic classes!

Above is the class I took with the very cool gent that is Andy Skinner; a mixed media altered book using lots of lovely grungy techniques including mega crackle on the background and rust techniques on the cogs. I added a few little details to mine - some metal bits and bobs aged with black gesso and the little bookplate, which I thought made the book a lovely souvenir of a fun weekend!

I also did a gorgeous - and completely different class - with the lovely Michelle Webb. This class was much more out of my comfort zone as it's quite 'painterly' but I really loved it and put my own spin on it with my ombre stencilling (thanks to Paula who's idea that was) and my book page clouds.

SUCH a fab weekend with such talented teachers - hoping to do it all again soon! Roll on Mixology 2016!

Friday, 20 November 2015

You know that feeling when you look at a new stamp and just see your next make? Well, that's what happened with this little project - the gingerbread man with his outstretched arms just spoke to me and said 'garland'. So here's the finished thing - a string of merry gingerbread men. holding a Christmas greeting.

1: Stamp and heat emboss the gingerbread men in white on kraft card. Colour the eyes with a glaze pen and the bow tie with red paint. Add gem buttons.

2 Die cut stars from red cardstock and outline with dots of glaze pen. Die cut letters, outline with gold pen and glue to the centre of each star. Punch a hole in the top of each star.

3. Join the gingerbread men together with twine. Pass one end of the twine through each gingerbread man's hand, then pass both ends through the star before tying in a bow to secure. Continue until you have a garland of the desired length. Add lengths of twine to the outermost gingerbread men from which to hang the garland.

I hope you've enjoyed this project and will soon be decking the halls with paper men that are almost good enough to eat!

Monday, 16 November 2015

If any of your lovely blog readers get docrafts Creativity magazine you may have spotted my makes in the latest issue! I am very proud to have two articles featured this time - a set of woodland cards and a mixed media mobile. (BTW - if you click that link you'll see my cards on the rotating banner on the top of the page.) I'm almost famous LOL!

I really loved the stamp sets I used for the woodland cards and I made another set with them using brighter colours for a totally different look, They use simple masking techniques and die cut shapes - very basic cards really but I think they are pretty! Hope you do too.

Tuesday, 3 November 2015

A couple of weeks ago I taught my first local workshop - a wintry wreath. Tricky to photograph this one, but I promise you it's really sparkly and pretty when it catches the light!

The delegates said that they had a lovely, relaxing day and everyone seemed pleased with their creations. Here are the ladies with their finished pieces.

We used lots of DecoArt products in the workshop - the delegates were especially enamoured of the metallic paint in the Media range (can't blame them; it is awesome!). We also used lots of modelling paste and glitter to create faux snow. We used chipboard from Tando Creative as our base.

My next workshop is scheduled for Sunday 24th January 2016 - it's a mixed media storage binder (great for stamps or metal dies) using lots of DecoArt products and including faux metal techniques, If you live near Bromsgrove and fancy a day out please drop me an email or pop over to my Facebook page and leave me a message,

Friday, 30 October 2015

I don't join in the challenges over at Stampotique very often - partly because half the time the challenge is over before I've got my butt in gear. But this week I've been inspired by the theme Scary Confusion for my Halloween make.

Moon Girl is my favourite stamp of all time ever and I've used her again here to make a little ATB, Moon Girl is definitely in a state of confusion because she's lost her angelic wings and turned into a witch! I suppose she isn't all that scary but I hope she fits the theme anyway!

The various stamps (all Stampotique) are gently watercoloured with Distress Inks before being assembled together and stuck onto a stick which is secured to the bottom of the ATB with a big blob of Pinflair Glue Gel. The ATB box is made from, and decorated with, papers from Graphic45 - a mix of Rare Oddities and Steampunk Spells.

Continuing the Halloween theme, I'm also sharing an ATC I made - this is one I started at a France Papillion workshop last year but only recently finished. A winged demon rising from hell - this one's definitely a wee bit more scary! The licking flames are actually Jo Capper-Sandon's foliage stamp - probably my next favourite Stampotique after Moon Girl - at least one of my most used.